Rating: 
Summary: A masterpiece to honor a master
Review: I loved this movie!! The tragic, misunderstood life of VINCENT VAN GOUGH is given a chance for sympathy and understanding in this adaptation. Kirk Douglas gives an exemplary, very much believable performance as the whimiscal, at times child-like personality of VINCENT. Anthony Quinn gives Paul Gaughin's character a "larger than life" illusion. And although I am not as familiar with Gaughin's life, the chemistry between these two actors was nothing short of magnificent. This is definitely one for the classics library!!
Rating:
Summary: Wow
Review: I was blown away and surprised I'd never heard of "Lust For Life" until It was recommended to me by someone. "Lust For Life"'s main points are acting and cinematography. Kirk Douglas gives a haunting performance as Van Gogh which may arguably be one of his best performance on film. Kirl Douglas looks exactly like Van Gogh and his intensity gave me goosebumps. Anthony Quinn also gives a very good performance. In fact all the acting in the film is flawless. The second part of the film that is spectacular is the cinematography. The scenery of the film tries to recreate Van Gogh's paintings and it's beautiful to watch. Some people may complain that you get a watered down version of Van Gogh's life but who cares? The film makes up for that plus you must keep in mind when this film was made. Overall one of the best films I've rented in years and I hope it goes to DVD soon.
Rating:
Summary: Wow
Review: I was blown away and surprised I'd never heard of "Lust For Life" until It was recommended to me by someone. "Lust For Life"`s main points are acting and cinematography. Kirk Douglas gives a haunting performance as Van Gogh which may arguably be one of his best performance on film. Kirl Douglas looks exactly like Van Gogh and his intensity gave me goosebumps. Anthony Quinn also gives a very good performance. In fact all the acting in the film is flawless. The second part of the film that is spectacular is the cinematography. The scenery of the film tries to recreate Van Gogh's paintings and it's beautiful to watch. Some people may complain that you get a watered down version of Van Gogh's life but who cares? The film makes up for that plus you must keep in mind when this film was made. Overall one of the best films I've rented in years and I hope it goes to DVD soon.
Rating: 
Summary: Tortured Genius
Review: I would wager that this is really the best work Vincente Minnelli ever did, in spite of his reputation as the famous director of MGM Judy Garland musicals. "Lust for Life" has a power and pathos to it that is seldom matched in biographical movies. The story of Vincent Van Gogh's struggle to paint and find companionship is beautifully brought to life here. And of course, that is due to superstar Kirk Douglas' intensity as the tortured artist. The scenes he plays with Anthony Quinn's Paul Gaugin are so touching, as even Gaugin (a very hard person) must acknowledge how sad Vincent's longing for a friend is.Highlighting the film also are the color depictions of many of Van Gogh's canvases, raw in color and emotion, a testament to a man who didn't know how to do anything by halves, but gave his whole heart and soul to everything he did and everyone he loved, whether reciprocated or not.
Rating:
Summary: Tortured Genius
Review: I would wager that this is really the best work Vincente Minnelli ever did, in spite of his reputation as the famous director of MGM Judy Garland musicals. "Lust for Life" has a power and pathos to it that is seldom matched in biographical movies. The story of Vincent Van Gogh's struggle to paint and find companionship is beautifully brought to life here. And of course, that is due to superstar Kirk Douglas' intensity as the tortured artist. The scenes he plays with Anthony Quinn's Paul Gaugin are so touching, as even Gaugin (a very hard person) must acknowledge how sad Vincent's longing for a friend is.Highlighting the film also are the color depictions of many of Van Gogh's canvases, raw in color and emotion, a testament to a man who didn't know how to do anything by halves, but gave his whole heart and soul to everything he did and everyone he loved, whether reciprocated or not.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful Classic!
Review: I'm a painter myself, have done alot of reading about the lives of these artists, and can never get over the superb performances of these actors!----Truly a superb movie classic! Five stars, in my book!
Rating:
Summary: THE TERRIBLE LONELINESS OF VINCENT VAN GOGH
Review: One of the greatest films ever made about the madness of creative genius. As films about artists go, I like this film better than POLLOCK and almost as much as BASQUIAT. This is very much an overlooked CLASSIC. I have friends who are fans of Van Gogh's who have never heard of this film. Based on the book of the same title by Irving Stone and for those who love DEAR THEO: the abridged letters of Vincent Van Gogh, a must see. This film absolutely conveys the heartbreaking feeling of this starving misunderstood genius pounding his lifeblood into canvas in a French atelier or countryside while the gallery owners scoff and the painter remains unrecognized and unloved. Kirk Douglas' finest performance, is fraught with peril. Anthony Quinn, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Paul Gauguin, is superb. The script, some of which was taken from Van Gogh himself, is sometimes dated but always poignant: "Sometimes the pictures come to me as if in a dream, with a terrible lucidity." BRILLIANT!! Unfortunately the VHS format is fullscreen which begs the question; WHY IS THIS MASTERPIECE UNAVAILABLE IN WIDESCREEN ON DVD!?! What a cultural wasteland: I could probably find ERNEST GOES TO CAMP on DVD, but try to find this CLASSIC and the clerk at the local HOLLYWOOD VIDEO might say, "LUST FOR LIFE? That would probably be in the Adult Film Section." I hope someone is working hard to preserve this Masterpiece. Anything less would be a shame. My VHS tape has been viewed so many times the magnetic particles are starting to fall off. If the DVD doesn't come out soon I'll be forced to buy another copy on VHS.(SIGH)
Rating:
Summary: THE TERRIBLE LONELINESS OF VINCENT VAN GOGH
Review: One of the greatest films ever made about the madness of creative genius. As films about artists go, I like this film better than POLLOCK and almost as much as BASQUIAT. This is very much an overlooked CLASSIC. I have friends who are fans of Van Gogh's who have never heard of this film. Based on the book of the same title by Irving Stone and for those who love DEAR THEO: the abridged letters of Vincent Van Gogh, a must see. This film absolutely conveys the heartbreaking feeling of this starving misunderstood genius pounding his lifeblood into canvas in a French atelier or countryside while the gallery owners scoff and the painter remains unrecognized and unloved. Kirk Douglas' finest performance, is fraught with peril. Anthony Quinn, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Paul Gauguin, is superb. The script, some of which was taken from Van Gogh himself, is sometimes dated but always poignant: "Sometimes the pictures come to me as if in a dream, with a terrible lucidity." BRILLIANT!! Unfortunately the VHS format is fullscreen which begs the question; WHY IS THIS MASTERPIECE UNAVAILABLE IN WIDESCREEN ON DVD!?! What a cultural wasteland: I could probably find ERNEST GOES TO CAMP on DVD, but try to find this CLASSIC and the clerk at the local HOLLYWOOD VIDEO might say, "LUST FOR LIFE? That would probably be in the Adult Film Section." I hope someone is working hard to preserve this Masterpiece. Anything less would be a shame. My VHS tape has been viewed so many times the magnetic particles are starting to fall off. If the DVD doesn't come out soon I'll be forced to buy another copy on VHS.(SIGH)
Rating:
Summary: Starry Night
Review: There haven't been many movies made about great painters, which seems a little odd, but theirs is a static art, hard to capture on film. Producer John Houseman and director Vincente Minnelli do a great job here of placing Van Gogh's life and art before our eyes in a way calculated to whet our interest about the man. His peculiar life was stalked by some kind of mental instability; whether physical or psychological in nature nobody still knows. Kirk Douglas' fine performance is right on in portraying a troubled man trying for both artistic excellence and some kind of normalcy in life; above all a painter who held nothing back from his work. Anthony Quinn, who must have played every nationality under the sun during his career, walked off with an Oscar for his part as the flamboyant and less-gifted Paul Gaugin, destined to play second fiddle to Van Gogh's genius. The film's construction owes something to John Huston's "Moulin Rouge," of four years earlier, a bio of Toulouse-Lautrec.
Rating:
Summary: Lust for DVD
Review: This is a classic that i've seen many many times. This may not be the most accurate telling of Vincent Van Gogh's life but there are countless books to serve that purpose. Everything about this film is perfect. The script is great and the acting is wonderful. Many scenes were shot right where Van Gogh painted, and you can easily see it, the film looks like one of his paintings. The style of the film even changes as his painting evolves and he becomes more confident in his skill. This is a film for art lovers, and it deserves the DVD treatment. Hopefully a DVD will include some features on the real Van Gogh, and the making of this film.
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